Accumulator shell sealing plug



1951 J. MERCIER ET AL Re. 23,343

ACCUMULATOR SHELL SEALING PLUG I Original Filed July 6, 1945 if f?" 2 &I 1'19 16' 74 INVENTOR- Reiuued Feb. 20, 1951 OFFICE 23,343 aocumna'ronSHELL sumo PLUG Jean Mercier, New York, and Edward M. Greek, WestHempstead, N. Y.; said Greer assignor to Greer Hydraulics, Inc.,Brooklyn, N. Y.

Original No. 2,489,171, dated May 3, 1949, Serial No. 603,546, July 6,1945. Application for reissue February 18, 1950, Serial No. 145,062

. 6Claims. (Cl.138 30) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets reissuespecification;

This invention relates to'accumulators [as used in the hydraulic systemof airplanes but] and more particularly to the component parts of [the]an accumulator and the manner of assembling those parts.

An accumulator is a fluid storage device that is connected to, ahydraulic system its]. Its principal function is to provide a surplussupply of the fluid in the system stored at a predetermined pressure sothat any leakage in the system is automatically compensated for by theaccumulator. The [construction of an] accumulator is usually a pressurevessel with a dividing yieldable wall [J or diaphragm so that airpressure may be charged through a. valve to the one side of theyieldable diaphragm and a fluid under pressure may be charged to theother side of the diaphragm. In another form of an accumulator adeformable bag or bladder is used instead of a. diaphragm. The bag isaflixed to one end of the shell by means of [the] a small air valve,desirably provided with a small stem. The opposite end of the shell'isprovided with an oil port. [In this type of construction] Where thepressure vessel is a single shell, the deformable bag must be insertedthrough the larger opening of the oil port and the small air valve,

passed through a small perforation in the opposite end of the shell. Ithas been found advantageous to provide a rather large opening at the oilport end of the shell to facilitate the assembly of the bag in theaccumulator. In providing a. large opening [there has arisen other]difiiculties have arisen, namely the provision of a safe and tight plugSafe in] that [it] will not blow out under extreme pressures within theshell and [tight so that it] will not permit leak- 7 age of fluid. Theusual manner of closing the oil port end of the accumulator is toprovide a large neck end integral with the shell.[and internallythreaded, into this opening a plug is threadably secured and this plugis] into which a plug, provided with the correct size oil port L] isthreadably secured. There are various disadvantages to this type of plugnamely the threads may become worn or stripped [and weaken] therebyweakening the strength of such threads [and] with the result that when amaximum pressure is attained in the accumulator the plug may be blownout another]. Another difliculty arises in disassembling, [that is,] forthe mechanic [does not always] may not relieve all the air pressure fromthe bag and consequently when the plug is partially released by matterprinted in italics indie appears in the original patent but forms nopart of this ates the additions made by reissue.

z the' mechanic it suddenly blows out and may cause injury.

This invention has for an object the provision of an accumulator that isprovided with a locking means for the sealing plug at the oil port end.

Another object of this invention is the provision of means tonecessitate pushing the oil port plug inward against any resistance toits removal before the plug may be removed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a quick andeasily installed oil port plug that is safely secured to the shell ofthe accumulator.

Other objects may be apparent by reference to the accompanying drawingsand detailed descrlption in which,

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of the. accumulater, and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the locking ring.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 there is apressure resistant vessel illustratively a single shell Ill with twoopposed ports or mouths II and I2 the]. The smaller port II is providedfor a stem I3 of a [standard] pneumatic valve i5 and the larger port I2is formed large enough to pass an accumulator bag l4 therethrough. Thebag H is formed slightly pear [shape] shaped or at least smaller thanthe internal periphery of the shell l0 and is provided with the[standard] pneumatic larger end between the neck portion l8] than the dameter A of the plug l6 and [the shoulder of the port 12.] forms ashoulder 24 at its upper end.

Although any suitable type of outlet'plug 16 could be used, in theembodiment illustratively shown herein, the plug 16 is formed with ahead portion 17 desirably perforated to form a strainer and the neckportion 18 protrudes from port 12. The neck portion I8 is internallythreaded to permit an oil port plug 2| to be threadably secured II,this] therein, the plug 2| having the port 22 for securing the fluidline thereto.

[The neck llofplug It is alsoexternally threaded so that an external nut23 may be securedthereto. The portion of plug It where the neck It andthe head I! meet forms a circular shoulder portion It. A locking ring IIillustrated in Fig. 2 is neck portion ll of the plug ll of Fig. 1. Thering is is also formed with a slight curvature is on its upper face asindicated in Fig. 1 so that it fits into the shoulder 24 of the plug It.The outside diameter of the ring 2! is greater than the diameter "3 ofthe port It. The ring 25 is cut through one portion of its circumferenceas at 21 to permit the installation of this ring through the port IIwhich is of smaller diameter. This is done by springing the ring orcompressing it, then after it is within the shell it may be expanded]portion ll of the plug II. The plug It is then I brought down to theposition indicated in Fig. 1.

' provided and is formed with an inside diameter v equal to the externaldiameter of the extended The 'seal 20 is next pressed into the openingit around the neck portion I. of the plug it. The

tor, it is [absolutely] necessary [to release all air pressure from thebag I4, as in removing the plug It it is necessary to push it inward sothat the ring 28 may be slipped from the neck It and compressed toremove it through opening it.

A curved member desirably a locking ring 25 having an -outer diametergreater than the diameter "B" of port 12 is constructed so that it maybe inserted into said port to encompass neck 18 oftheplug.Tothisendthering'isdeformable so that portions thereof are relativelydisplaceable to permit its introduction into the' mouth of port 12 andafter it is in said mouth, may be restored to substantially its originalshape.

Ring 25 has aninner periphery overlapped by said shoulder 24 andinterpenes between shoulder 24 and the inner rim of port 12. Althoughany suitable locking ring of the above type may be used, in theembodiment herein, asshown in.

Fig. 2, the ring 25 is desirably of resilient material such as springmetal and is split as at 27 so that it may be deformed for insertioninto port 12'by compressing the ring 25 to overlap the ends thereof andthen after it is within the shell releasing the ring 25 so that it mayassume its original shape.

The ring is preferably formed so that in cross section, as shown in Fig.1, it has a cylindrical inner periphery snugly fitting around neck 18and also desirably has a slight curvature 26 on its upper face that maybe seated against the correspondingly curved shoulder 24 of plug 16.

The plug it may then be removed] first to, push the plug 16 inward sothat ring may be slipped from the neck 18 and deformed to remove itchanges without departing from the The ring also has ashoulder on theouter periphery thereof which may be seated on the inner rim of port 12and substantially fills the space between the neck portion 18 of theplug 16 and the inner wall of the port 12 to prevent lateraldisplacement of said plug.

With the construction thus described, the ring may be seated aganst theinner rim of said port with said shoulder 24 seated against said ring25, a nut 23 screwed on the externally threaded protruding portion ofneck 18 of plug 16 releasably securing said plug to said shell.

Desirably a seal 2.0 is interposed between the neck portion 18 of theplug 16 and the inner wall of the port and is desirably compressedbetween the ring 25 and the nut 23' to prevent leakage of oil when theplug is secured to said shell.

[In assembling the accumulator the shell I0 is empty and'a bag It may bepassed through the opening it] In assembling the accumulator a bag 14may be passedthrough the opening 12 of the, empty shell 10. The valvestem I3 is pushed up through the opening II and a washer and nut aresecured to the outside stem and threaded down to clamp the stem in theposition indicated in Fig. 1. The plug it is then passed through theport It and the ring 25 is next. compressed and passed through port It,the ring tlisthenexpandedandpessedoverthe 1160i through'port 12, ifthere is any air pressure in the bag 14, the latter will press againstthe outlet plug 16 and prevent displacement thereof.

It is apparent therefore that a mechanic cannot remove the plug it withany substantial air pressure remaining in the bag It therefore] andconsequently there is no danger of injury [from] as a result of the plugbeing blown out of the shell during disassembly [J and by reason of thefact that the plug is retained in place by the ooaction of shoulder 24with ring 25, there is no strain on the enacting threads of the plug andthe nut and hence there is no likelihood of stripping thereof.

Although a preferred form has been shown, it is understood that amechanic working within the scope of that which is claimed, may makespirit of this invention.

What is claimed is: v

[1. In an accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a. deformablepartition secured within said shell separating said two ports from eachother, a strainer plug placed inside the larger of said ports, a splitspring locking ring of greater diameter than said largest port placedinside said port, means to secure said strainer plug and locking ring injuxtaposition with the said shell at the periphery of the large port.]

[2. In an accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a deformablepartition-secured within said shell separating said two ports, astrainer plug placed inside one of said ports, a split spring lockingring of greater diameter than said port into which said strainer plug isplaced,

means to seal said strainer plug and locking ring in juxtaposition withthe said shell at the periphery of the one port] [3. An accumulatoraccording to claim 2 having means to release the air pressure from saidair portion to release the force of said deformable partition on saidstrainer plug, and means to manually remove said split spring lockingring by pushing it inward toward said deformable partition so that saidsplit spring may be compressed and removed through said mounting port topermit removal of said strainer plug] 4. An accumulator comprising ashell having two ports, a d formable partition secured within said shelland intervening between said ports, a plugin one of said ports andhaving a shoulder, the largest diameter of said plug being less than thediameter of said port, a locking member encomposting ldtd' plug andhaving an outer diameter greater than that of said port and an innerperiphery overlapped by said shoulder and seated in position interveningbetween said port and said shoulder, said locking member having portionsthereof relatively displaceable to permit of introduction thereof intothe shell and of such seating, and means releasably to secure said plugto said shell.

5. An accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a deformablepartition secured within said shell and intervening between said ports,a plug in one of said ports and having a shoulder,

nut threaded on the portion of said plug extending from said port andclamping said locking ring between said shoulder and the inner rim ofsaid port securely to retain said. plug in said port.

the largest diameter of said plug being less than the diameter of saidport, a deformable locking ring of resilient material encompassing saidplug and having an outer diameter greater than that of said port and aninner periphery overlapped by said shoulder and seated in positionintervening between said port and said shoulder, said ring being splitwhereby it may be compressed to overlap the endsthereof for insertioninto said port and means releasably to secure said plug to said shell.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said l cking member isa ring hav ng a shoulder on its Outer periphery seated on the inner rim'0; said port and substantially fills the space between the plug and theinner wall of the port, thereby to prevent lateral displacement of saidplug.

7. An accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a deformablepartition secured within said shell and intervening between said ports,a plug in one of said ports having a shoulder at its inner end, saidplug having a portion extending from said port, the largest diameter ofsaid plug being less than the diameter of said port, a'

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which a seal encompasses saidplug and is interposed between said sealing ring and said nut.

- 9. An accumulator comprising a shell having two ports, a deformablepartition secured within said shell and intervening between said ports,a plug in one of said ports, the largest diameter of said plug beingless than the diameter of said port, said plug having a reduced neckportion extending from said port, the body of said plug forming ashoulder with respect to said reduced portion, a deformable locking ringhaving an outer diameter greater than that of said port and acylindrical inner periphery overlapped by said shoulder and snuglyfitting around said neck portion, said ring intervening between saidport and said shoulder and having a shoulder on its outer peripheryseated against the inner rim of said port and a nut threaded ,on theneck of said plug extending from said port and clamping said lockingring between the shoulder of said plug and the inner rim of said port,securely to retain said plug in said port.

JEAN MERCIER. EDWARD M. GREER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent or the original patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

